New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-12
THE SUGAR REFINERY FIRE.
LOSSES oyER A MILLION DOLLARS.
WAS 1T THE WORK OF AN LEGENDARY IA SKETCH
OLE TIE PIlM.

"
WAS TT THE WORK OF AN ISCESD1ARY IA SKETCH
OF THE FIRM.
The destruction Of the large refinery OF The Havemeyer
Sugar Refining Company at Greenpont carry yesterday
morning was almost complete. The buildings had
frontage OF $50 feet in Commercials and extended to
the river 200 leet Tho structures varied In
height, some portions having an altitude OF hine
stories, while others were seven and the onloo
was four stories high The losses will aggregate some
where between 81 600 900 and 81 100000 but they are
entirely covered by Insurance. The cooper shop con-
tanning 10000 barrels was not damaged neither was
the syrup house. the stock of sugar was all burned
The fire is believed 10 originated in the stencil
room IL was discovered about 13O m by one OF the
workman There we're about seventy men in the build
Ing and as soon as they he"'u Sno
orv Of "danger,o they rushed for the door,
clad only In their working attire OF trousers ana
undershirt Patrolman MoHenry, who was standing at
Commercalst and washingtonave., sent out an aiarm
which brought half dozen engines and hook and ladder
companies The fire continued to make Roadway ana
second alarm quickly followed by thiru anu
fourth. This summoned all tho available hrenen from
BROOKLYN as well as from Greenpoint and Wiliams-
burg and large as their force they had hard fight
canst heavy odds for the great pile OF buildings bGrned
like finder The fire lighted up the whole surrounding
district rudy glare reflected from the river ana
sky and dense clouds OF smoke rolled before u sun
breeze which famed tho flames
nOckel 10 the scene from All QuarlerS'
preserve order and prevent accidents the police were re-
Inv the reserves from precincts Assistant
Chief Engineer Smith and District Engineers Perry and
Tanning we're In charge OF the fremen number OF
rc-boats played the flames from the river; put All
exertions 10 save the pile from destruction were
useless In the oldest OF the buildings the
floors ard oists OF yellow pine This was saturated
with sugar and burned fercely The stored sugar also
fed the flames and they shot into the sky the on
lockers witnessed IA magnificent display. as the fuel
caused succession OF changing tnts now yeilo" no"
orange About o'clock crash after crash announcer
tho falling IN OF floors and soon the great walls began I'd
totter and fell with tremendous noise Inc nremen
now directed all their efforts to keep the hre IN inc
refinery There are frame buildings opposito on the
west .,e are the lumber Yards OF Reeves Church on
the east the glass works tho L. p Gleason Manufac
turing Company. and several other big manufacturers
When the flames were fercest they communicated with
hoase opposite where two children anG woman were
aseep Officers Gallagher and Cronin rnshea upstairs
and took the TO place OF safety but the fire was rap
dly extinguished and the dwelling was rot maternity
iuiureA The work OF destruction went on with great
rapidity About o'clock when the fire could hrst be
said TO be under control the refinery buildings were
mass OF ruins When tho at its height the heat
WAS terrible Ii was impossible to stand within block
without getting ones clothing burned 49,
In the afternoon OF water were stu PLAYING on
the smoking ruins and crowds nnns roan az Ine
bricks covered CommeTciats almost 10 Tue car nhes'
where tho front wall of the maln building hal fallen
Mos; OF the other walls had fallen Inmara ss
mind what was known as inc new refinery ,h was
nne-stOry building T ,oMsr pI p1rt OF
being fireproof The valuable plant was nearly al
rsduced to twstse ma nesu 81 1be hoa anu
Five hundred meu were employed IN tle rehaery. ADu
aoat early Yesterday that many Of the night shiii men
had persisted IL was commonly reporter ,ia1 ma l =,
rwclye were missing Sergeant Reid is disinclined 10
believe that any men have been killed The neghl"Is
however positive that two men are msslhs one o
was man OF about fifty. His wife 1T tie ruins
Yesterday seeking IN vain for any definite hiornon
regarding him. Nearly all the employees are roles ana
Hnngarians and they entered on the company
books by numbers instead of names herman h%br;
refinery to one OF the wings distance OF twenty.e
feet. when the alarm. was gwen ana ola ho' sustain"
The business was started aDont fifteen years ago ~
H. G. Hayemeyer J; C. Hayentyer ana - ~, i n" u,
Its growth was gradual but constant From tlnie 70
time changes occurred IN tne hr1L IN iA',r
years G W. Hayemeyer has haa an ol lsgiys
The gual refinery was built al Creenpolnt Anni1eF
was subsequently erected OF Jcrsey Guy new buii
Ing Was constructed at Greenponi two years ago The
Two rehnees al that place hal capacity o 1000 bar
rels per day and ihey running their full capacity
Employnent was gwen there 10 about 700 ineh -.
Tie machinery Introduced OF the best quality ahd
Greenpont have been destroyed. steps will he promptly
taken 10 clear away the ruins ana BEGIN reDu,'lns.
The insurance widely scattered in small amounts
II stated sierday that almost every copay Ios
business in New-York was nereSte II Is moi Pstt -
does a large export and home trade. The raw material
OF sugar come from UNA Dul iiI%c
innovations are made from the Philippine l-ah1s ana
Brazil Tie fact that they nave refinery
In Jersey City Will enable the c"mp4h
10 continue to supply Orders. Unfortunately however
Tins Is the active III their trade the dcnahI al
WAYS being greater and prices higher M summer
No investigation has yet been maize IA, - the orsln 81
the fire There been rnmors0 inceldiiil' ouI he
secretary OF the company r. iiekc said ycsied mat
thus far grounds for suspicion Ia that a.
recon The reccn. in t'aimers cooper estap4isi-
meut led some TO believe that TN. was u
rcpetition o. that disaster, but IN ms case
"a above. the cooper shop was unharn"j ana we
nre started in entirely different part OF the establish
m.nt. Hector &. HavemcYer Was cariy Oh INC scene
after the fire discovered and remained there All uay
a weary looking spectator OF the runs
Mr. Hayeme, er seen late IN the afternoon by a
TRIBUNE reporter whom he cOuricOusy almlited- ne
was bcspotted with mud and slowed signs of fatigue
His wife was also with him and strocd about ie cages
OF the ruins upon which she seemed TO gaze Win an
interest approaching admiration Seated IN the syrup
house and looking over the smoking debris she sal9
the ruins ought to he photographed Her 'Nsbahn
gave utterance hafhumorous g Dan IA ne opheu AZ
his muddy aud NE hedra2eled ends OF MS trouser
think not" he responded. As far az an c0hcerir
have seen about ali of II want To See. III was me
uterance of the practical man OF business VINO RiIrt
upon the wreck OF a fine manufacturing plant Whlch
Il had taken years and would require months 10
replace ,,, ..,,, D.. ,i, -
Ii st OF the assurances for several days